Desperately Need Help on Cuttings!

[JoeR]

I feel you. I was waiting for "after the leaves to harden" And I think it slipped by in the high 40's, nothing was growing to well, then all of a sudden, it was too late!

I would follow Eric Groups methods and timing, he is close to you yes? And pretty successful!

Good luck JoeR,

Sorce

He's in Columbia, SC so maybe an hour and a half to two hours depending on if you speed lol.

 

[sorce]

Close enough! Climate wise!

I would totally follow everything Eric does.

Sorce

 

[JoeR]

Close enough! Climate wise!

I would totally follow everything Eric does.

Sorce

Thanks for the advice, I actually sort of have already. Him and JohnG live somewhat close to me so they both are good 'timers'.

 

[JoeR]

How much light should I give all my juniper cuttings? Under my bench that has 1/4 inch slots maybe? How do you know if its too much or not enough?


Just figuring out where to set up my misters...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I actually put my juniper cuttings in moderate sun... but they are always under a humidity tent or cover so they don't dry out. I can root shimpaku cuttings in 100% pumice, in a container with a plastic cover, and get about 75% success (no hormones). The soil has to be moist but not wet. As far as I'm concerned, you want the entire space to be 100% humidity so the cutting doesn't have water needs. Don't TOUCH the cuttings for a year. After a year you can gently transplant them, but the roots will be very fragile (on junipers).

 

[Dav4]

How much light should I give all my juniper cuttings? Under my bench that has 1/4 inch slots maybe? How do you know if its too much or not enough?


Just figuring out where to set up my misters...

I keep them in high shade until they've rooted, then it's full sun...no humidity tent here...still get 90%+ to strike

 

[JoeR]

Thanks guys


Hmmm... conflicting answers. What to do.


So my plan was as follows:
-Perlite/pine bark mix for soil
-Timed misting, probably 3× daily
-No humidity tent, instead misting more often. Better aiflow so theoretically should be better.
-High shade
-hormone
-Tons of cuttings!


Its all trial and error.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks guys


Hmmm... conflicting answers. What to do.


So my plan was as follows:
-Perlite/pine bark mix for soil
-Timed misting, probably 3× daily
-No humidity tent, instead misting more often. Better aiflow so theoretically should be better.
-High shade
-hormone
-Tons of cuttings!


Its all trial and error.

That's what I do; though hit or miss on the rooting hormone. Expect most to root this way.

 

[JoeR]

That's what I do; though hit or miss on the rooting hormone. Expect most to root this way.

Thats what you do in terms of what? You use the same soil and everything?

 

[sorce]

conflicting answers.

Don't forget King Nut has to wait for night to get out of the Sun!

Do both!

But I'd do shadyish myself....
And if I was you.

Sorce

 

[michaelj]

I'm now doing most of my cuttings in an area that gets strong morning sun. I do most of them on one of those stacked plastic shelving units. It gets misted twice a day and sprayed by hand anywhere from 1 to 3 more times, but no other humidity efforts. The stuff in the back gets mostly shade, and the stuff in the front spends all morning in the sun. The cuttings do significantly better in the front where the direct morning sunlight is strong. This was particularly true this year when I struck a bunch of cuttings of Coastal Rosemary (not for bonsai).

 

[Dav4]

Thats what you do in terms of what? You use the same soil and everything?

Joe, for junipers, I use soil conditioner as my soil medium. Also, from what I've read, Junipers cuttings are more likely to strike after being exposed to frosts and freezes. I'll start taking my juniper cuttings now and generally be done by March, which is also when I'm usually done trimming my junipers. They don't get any protection or bottom heat, either...they don't need it.

 

[JoeR]

I'm now doing most of my cuttings in an area that gets strong morning sun. I do most of them on one of those stacked plastic shelving units. It gets misted twice a day and sprayed by hand anywhere from 1 to 3 more times, but no other humidity efforts. The stuff in the back gets mostly shade, and the stuff in the front spends all morning in the sun. The cuttings do significantly better in the front where the direct morning sunlight is strong. This was particularly true this year when I struck a bunch of cuttings of Coastal Rosemary (not for bonsai).

Interesting, thanks for the input!

 

[JoeR]

Joe, for junipers, I use soil conditioner as my soil medium. Also, from what I've read, Junipers cuttings are more likely to strike after being exposed to frosts and freezes. I'll start taking my juniper cuttings now and generally be done by March, which is also when I'm usually done trimming my junipers. They don't get any protection or bottom heat, either...they don't need it.

Also thanks for your input,

February and early march when they are still dormant is best, I planned on maybe the first of March or when I have time.


I know they dont need bottom heat, but it cant hurt. I have extra space for them on the pad.

 

[sorce]

I know they dont need bottom heat, but it cant hurt. I have extra space for them on the pad.

Just because of the half truth......

What if it shorts out and catches your whole collection on fire?

Unless your bottom heat consists of a grow box type thing.....that you fill with leftover asphalt from a project somewhere.....
And you leave it somewhat exposed to catch the suns heat..

That could keep em warm...and safe....if positioned right.

Just a thought.

Sorce

 

[michaelj]

I've used bottom heat before with mixed success. The failures came because I used pads that don't provide heat at a set temperature, but rather, raise the temps about 20 degrees above the existing temps. Then I left it on all day when we got one of those So Cal February heat waves, with the cuttings sitting in the sun, on the heating pad, and I think I cooked them at about 125-135 degrees. Most of them failed after that.

 

[JoeR]

If I were to use shade cloth for cuttings, what would I get? 80%? 90%?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

You asked about shade cloth, and that reminded me of a nursery convention that I attended years back. A sales rep was showing me the different types of shade cloth he had. Not only different levels of light shaded out from shade cloth, but also there were different colors of shade cloth. One that really stood out was the red shade cloth, supposed to be good for roots to start growing. The red shade cloth is mentioned in this article (chapter of a book?) among many other things involved in commercial propagation. I think this will keep you busy for a while. I'll have to come back to it for myself.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf stuff/ph final galley/Chap 3- M03_DAVI4493_08_SE_C03.pdf

 

[JoeR]

You asked about shade cloth, and that reminded me of a nursery convention that I attended years back. A sales rep was showing me the different types of shade cloth he had. Not only different levels of light shaded out from shade cloth, but also there were different colors of shade cloth. One that really stood out was the red shade cloth, supposed to be good for roots to start growing. The red shade cloth is mentioned in this article (chapter of a book?) among many other things involved in commercial propagation. I think this will keep you busy for a while. I'll have to come back to it for myself.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf stuff/ph final galley/Chap 3- M03_DAVI4493_08_SE_C03.pdf

Man, 60 pages! Thanks for the link,

Lets get started.

 

[Vin]

You asked about shade cloth, and that reminded me of a nursery convention that I attended years back. A sales rep was showing me the different types of shade cloth he had. Not only different levels of light shaded out from shade cloth, but also there were different colors of shade cloth. One that really stood out was the red shade cloth, supposed to be good for roots to start growing. The red shade cloth is mentioned in this article (chapter of a book?) among many other things involved in commercial propagation. I think this will keep you busy for a while. I'll have to come back to it for myself.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/pdf stuff/ph final galley/Chap 3- M03_DAVI4493_08_SE_C03.pdf

60 pages of some riveting information! It looks like something @armetisius wrote Really though there's lots of good information.